European Union

Meeting of the General Assembly Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals
United Nations - New York – 19 July 2014

Statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States
delivered by
Ambassador Thomas Mayr-Harting,
Head of Delegation
Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations



Co-chairs,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the EU and its Member States
At the close of the OWG, we would like to sincerely thank you as well as the Secretariat for your tireless work. Under your able leadership a great deal of headway has been made during these last months. At the same time, the outcome of the OWG bears witness of the exceptional commitment delegations have shown.
In conformity with the mandate it was given in para. 248 of the Rio Outcome Document, the OWG has today concluded its work with a proposal for sustainable development goals for consideration and appropriate action by the General Assembly.
We have made good progress in the 13 sessions of the OWG, but important work still remains to be done in the year ahead to agree an inspiring post 2015 development agenda. While we do not agree with some specific elements of the report, we strongly support your proposal to go forward and send the report as it currently stands to the General Assembly for consideration and appropriate action.
The report of the Committee of Experts on SD Financing will complement our efforts. We are looking forward to the synthesis report that the Secretary General will present before the end of 2014, in accordance with GA Resolution 68/6 of the GA, as an input to the intergovernmental negotiations that will culminate in a Summit at the level of Heads of State and Government in September 2015 for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda.
In view of the strong commitment shown by all sides during these last months, we are confident that the international community will rise to challenges still facing us on the way ahead, and that we will see our collective efforts culminate in the adoption of a truly transformative post-2015 development agenda for poverty eradication and sustainable development.
Thank you.